Four held for SSC exam impersonation
Jaipur, July 17 : Rajasthan Police on Tuesday busted a four-member gang of impersonators involved in the SSC exam held on July 15 here. The police suspect inter-state involvement of the suspects in various other exmas.
One of the gang members flew to Delhi from Patna and hired a luxury cab to reach Jaipur, said Umesh Mishra, the Additional Director General of Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police. The other accused reached Jaipur a day before the exam, he said.
He said SOG teams have been sent to various parts of the country on the basis of statements of the gang members that they had operated in different states for exams held by the SSC, Food Corp of India and Uttar Pradesh Police.
The four accused have been identified as Pramod Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Avnish Kumar and Chetram Meena.
While the first three are from Bihar, the fourth one is from Alwar in Rajasthan. They reportedly confessed to have taken the test on behalf of genuine candidates at different centres using fake identity.
The SOG has recovered pictures, driver's licences, Aadhaar cards and admit cards of candidates from their possession. A case has been registered against them.
The gang was in regular touch with the locals with whose help they morphed the photos.
Vinay Kumar, an accused, reportedly told the police that he tried to appear for the second phase of the police constable exam in Sikar on July 15. But on seeing the strong police presence, he left the venue.
Mishra said the police had acted on a tip-off that a few "boys" were on their way from Delhi and Bihar to appear for the exam on the basis of their fake identities. The exam was to be conducted on July 14-15.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
